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Crossing A Meter Milestone
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Tuesday | July 13, 2021
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United Power surpasses 100,000 meters, becoming the second in Colorado - and 31st nationwide - to reach the milestone.
United Power Just the 31st Cooperative Nationally to Reach 100,000 Meters
United Power in June became one of just a handful of electric cooperatives nationwide to surpass 100,000 meters. The achievement highlights a period of sustained growth for the Brighton-based co-op that began in the early 2000s and continued even this past year despite a historic pandemic. United Power had anticipated reaching the meter mark in 2021 but did so much earlier than expected due to an increase in growth early this year.
By surpassing 100,000 meters, United Power becomes just the second Colorado electric cooperative to reach the mark, joining Intermountain Rural Electric Association, headquartered southwest of Denver in Sedalia.
“It is truly a historic accomplishment to reach this meter milestone,” said Mark A. Gabriel, United Power’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “United Power has long had a reputation for excellence among its cooperative peers, and it now joins a select few who serve more than 100,000 meters. Our size and reputation will amplify our voice in helping shape the future of the electric industry.”
Like all electric cooperatives, United Power was established to serve a largely rural population in an area that was considered too inconvenient or unprofitable for large electric utilities. Today, there are more than 800 electric cooperatives serving members throughout the country. Many have remained small because of the sparsely populated areas they are serving, but others, like United Power, have found themselves in rapidly growing areas close to large metropolitans.
Few cities are experiencing the growth surge that began in Denver several years ago. While much of the cooperative’s service territory is still rural, it now also serves some of the fastest growing communities in the country as more people are relocating to the Denver area. Maintaining control of the area has not always been easy. United Power had to survive an aggressive buyout attempt from the Public Service Company of Colorado — now Xcel Energy — which no longer saw the cooperative’s service territory as either unprofitable or inconvenient.
United Power was established by a group of farmers in and around Brighton in 1938 with only a couple hundred original members. It took the cooperative nearly 40 years to surpass 10,000 meters. When United Power reached an agreement with Public Service Company to forgo the buyout in the mid-1980s, growth had come to the area, but not like it would in the years to follow. By 2004, it had reached 50,000 meters, and a decade later in 2015 surpassed 75,000. During its largest growth year in 2004, the cooperative gained approximately 5,000 new meters, more than it gained during a twenty year stretch from 1950-1970 combined.
The cooperative has already experienced record growth again this year, and is on pace to add several thousand more meters to its system before the end of the year. The continued growth has United Power now setting its sights on the next meter mark.
“We are adding new meters at an unprecedented rate,” said Gabriel. “But more importantly, we are adding members. Each new meter represents a new family on our lines or a new business helping shape the economy of the communities we serve. Our members make us stronger, and they make our communities stronger. As your cooperative, it is our privilege to be able to serve each and every one of our members.”
United Power invites members to join in celebrating this meter milestone with the cooperative and with each other at our 100,000 Meter Open House celebration at the Carbon Valley Service Center on August 28. The events will provide members with an opportunity to learn more about the cooperative and see how its newest facility and office location are effectively serving members on the west side of the service territory.
United Power has partnered with the Carbon Valley Help Center and encourages event attendees to bring a canned food item or cash donations to assist the Help Center in meeting the needs of others in the area.
Join us!United Power 100,000 Meter Open House Celebration
Saturday, August 28
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Cutting Into Supply Chain Delays
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Thursday | July 7, 2022
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With supply chain uncertainty, United Power purchased a new plasma cutter to bypass delays on essential parts and pieces.
Electric cooperatives rely on crucial materials to maintain the safety, reliability, and resiliency of their electric system. Supply chain delays are creating new challenges for most industries, but it’s been particularly difficult for electric utilities facing weeks-long delays on parts and materials necessary to ensure a properly functioning system.
“We’re experiencing six- to eight-week delays on standard maintenance materials, like mounts and brackets,” said Curtis Subia, United Power’s Vice President of Asset Management and Supply Chain. “It may be tempting to waive off something as small as a bracket if other materials are available, but without these brackets, projects come to a standstill. Even small pieces are absolutely essential to safely building our infrastructure.”
With uncertainty surrounding how long supply chain issues may persist, United Power purchased a new piece of equipment that will help the cooperative bypass delays and fabricate whole parts in-house without having to wait for backorders to be filled. A mechanized plasma cutter (pictured right) can precisely cut pieces out of sheet metal in just minutes. The pieces it produces are often ready for immediate use in the field.
“We could either wait weeks for orders to be delivered or we could figure out a timely way to make them ourselves,” said Subia. “We can’t shut down projects because the supply chain can’t keep up with demand, so we had to come up with a solution.”
United Power mechanics suggested the plasma cutter as an alternative. They have been fabricating parts for years when something is unavailable or if they need a custom piece. However, manual fabrication is slow, lacks precision, and is dangerous. The plasma cutter can be preprogrammed with almost any design and ready to use in just a few minutes. Once a design has been stored, the software can recall it again at any time. It’s a safer option for the mechanics and frees up their time to be spent on other projects.
“It can do things the human hand can’t do,” said Kevin Isham, a mechanic at United Power. “It can cut a piece over and over with precision and perfection in half the time it would take one of us to create a single piece. Having it makes our jobs quicker and safer.”
There’s no sign supply chain issues are coming to an end anytime soon. The plasma cutter represents another innovative solution United Power has adopted to meet the needs of the cooperative and its members in challenging circumstances.
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Days of Service Returns
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Tuesday | November 18, 2025
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More than 90 employees volunteered at eight local organizations in October.
Employees Volunteered at Eight Local Organizations in October
United Power celebrated National Co-op Month in October with the return of its popular Days of Service campaign for the second consecutive year. The cooperative collaborated with local nonprofits on eight service projects designed to provide volunteer opportunities for employees to spend a day giving back.
These projects emphasize the co-op’s commitment to the communities it serves and recognize the importance of nonprofits that are meeting the needs of members. This year, more than 90 employees participated.
“Our employees share the cooperative’s commitment to care for the local community,” said Julie Stewart, United Power’s Community Outreach Specialist. “They understand how important these organizations, and the services they provide, are to local families, and they were excited to volunteer.”
Some of the projects included building a fence and cleaning on-site areas at Happiness Through Horses; trail maintenance and winter prep at the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies; prepping spaces for upcoming projects at the Pennock Center; and packing food for distribution at the Adams County Food Bank, Fort Lupton Food and Clothing Bank, Pastor’s Pantry, and the Weld Food Bank’s mobile pantry. United Power employees also donated hygiene products throughout the month and helped pack kits for Sparkling Kindness.
“I am very thankful that I could participate and help an organization in our service territory,” said one employee after helping distribute food to local families at the Weld Food Bank. “These opportunities set us apart from other electric utilities and show how much we truly care about our members.”
These organizations are a continual reminder that the cooperative serves thriving communities thanks to our members’ spirits of service and commitment to giving back. Local residents recognized an important need in their community and found a way to meet it with the help of like-minded friends and neighbors. It resembles the way electric cooperatives were formed nearly 90 years ago when local farmers came together to establish a local power company, owned by the members it serves.
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December Message from Mark A. Gabriel
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Monday | December 1, 2025
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A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
No one likes rate increases. Full stop.
By the same token, maintaining a financially healthy cooperative is a critical part of United Power’s mission. Our staff — and your Board of Directors — work diligently to make sure rates are matched closely with the utility’s operating costs. It is those growing costs that require the Jan. 1 rate increase.
The supply chain for many products, including those we use at the cooperative, have still not recovered from the pandemic, even before tariffs began impacting costs. Power poles are up 25-40% since 2020, transformers have doubled in price, copper wire is up 50%, and construction labor has increased by nearly 40%. Uncertainty in power generation, and which resources will be in favor from one administration to the next, is making generators and power providers hesitant to commit to long-term pricing. And, to further complicate the issue, more large power generating stations are coming offline, forcing capacity prices upward. It is more difficult for companies to commit to pricing when tariffs are in flux and off-shore/near-shore manufacturers that make many of the products utilities use are not sure if they will be able to sell products in the U.S.
United Power has worked to build a portfolio of hyper-localized projects to manage our wholesale power costs, believing that is the most logical and efficient solution in an uncertain financial environment. We have one of the largest distributed battery systems in the nation and recently opened the newest, most efficient gas plant in the country. We continue to contract for low-cost solar energy. In October, we committed to an additional 200 megawatts of solar coupled with 150 megawatts of battery storage, and we look forward to a power market coming to Colorado in April.
We are also committed to helping our members better manage their usage and bills through a variety of programs. We have dramatically reduced our peak energy hours, the time of day when our wholesale energy costs are at their highest, allowing members to shift demand and save on bills. The peak window has shortened from 2-10 p.m. to 5-9 p.m., a more rational window that makes it easier for members to navigate. Rates before and after the new peak are approximately 6.7 cents. An analysis of 2024 aggregated usage data shows that many residential and commercial members could benefit by moving to a time of use rate. Click here for detailed information about the 2026 rate change. Members can also reach out to an energy management specialist for help analyzing their energy usage and selecting the best rate to save on costs. Additionally, tools to help improve your energy efficiency are available here.
The story is the same across Colorado and the rest of the country. Virtually every utility (electric, gas, and water) is facing the challenge of holding down costs as long as possible. United Power has only had one year of rate increases (2024) during my nearly five years as CEO. The Board intentionally held back on raising rates during COVID, understanding the impact on an already challenged local economy. We do not take the matter of raising rates lightly, and we commit to managing your investments well.
As your cooperative and a key member of the communities we serve, United Power works every day to keep the lights on and power flowing in the most reliable and cost competitive way possible. We realize even small increases are challenging for many of our members and stand ready to help people manage their energy wisely.
As always, please feel free to reach out with any comments or questions. It is my honor to serve as your President and CEO and to lead this team of amazing people.
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December Message from Mark A. Gabriel
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Tuesday | December 3, 2024
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A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
No one dislikes power outages more than those of us in the electric utility business. In a world of increasing dependence on quality electric power, the task of keeping the lights on is more critical — and challenging — every day.
Coupled with the dramatic increase in electrification across dozens of industries and businesses, our members’ requirements for reliable supply increases with each passing day. More people working from home, spurred by the pandemic, has only exacerbated the need for greater reliability — and its cousin, resiliency.
The only business I know that measures as many statistical categories as the electric industry is baseball, where every play is broken down into records dating back decades. Balls, strikes, batting percentages, hits with runners in scoring position — even the number of strikes versus balls — are all analyzed and used to change the game.
Our “batting averages” in the electric industry are things like SAIDI* (the duration of outages), SAIFI* (frequency of outages), and MAIFI* (momentary average interruption frequency). We measure and report on dozens of indices and make investments to continuously improve. We call balls and strikes on ourselves as we get better. It is also why we keep investing in new technologies, such as our outage management system, and have expanded how we use data from our advanced metering infrastructure and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. We mine the alphabet soup of technologies in the never-ending pursuit to keep the lights on.
However, even with our efforts, any outage or momentary blip can cause headaches. That is why we work so diligently to manage our system to avoid such incidents.
Why do the lights “go out” unexpectedly? United Power’s leading causes of outages are critters and crashes, followed by weather and equipment failure. Sometimes our transmission providers have incidents. There are also certain times we must take outages to upgrade equipment. Much of our system is underground — a tremendous investment, but one that pays dividends over time. But even undergrounding electrical service does not make the system immune from outages. In fact, underground faults can be more difficult to find and take more time to repair.
Digitalization of our lives has also made the quality of power more challenging. Older lights, motors, and machinery had a wide range of electric tolerance. This was as true in the home as it was in industry. Today’s digitalized equipment means the tolerance of even a temporary dip in power can make a difference. Some additional sensitivity comes from things like new refrigerators which try to match the motor size to load for energy efficiency, but also tolerates less voltage fluctuations. Think back to refrigerators that last 20 years or more versus today.
United Power operates at the distribution level, or the wires that bring electricity directly to homes and businesses. We strive to keep the lights on. In the past, 99.99% of ASAI* (average system “up time”) was sufficient. That meant, on average, just eight minutes of outage time per year, which was acceptable in the past but challenging in today’s digital environment. While 99.99% is good for many things, 99.999% is even better, meaning just eight seconds of outage time. Even that, however, is not fault tolerant enough in some situations. There is a very real limitation to what is possible across a large distribution network serving a significant number of varying electric loads.
It is therefore important to understand that while we do everything possible to keep the electrons flowing, there are limitations across this broad system. It is why even in our cooperative offices every computer has a backup power supply, and our building has a backup generator.
Winter weather is upon us, and we will work to keep the lights on. This is only possible due to the brave women and men of United Power who work diligently though snow, sleet, and freezing rain to restore power. As always, please feel free to reach out to me with your questions, comments, and concerns.
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December Message from Mark A. Gabriel
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Monday | December 4, 2023
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A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
Transitions in life, both personal and professional, always have interesting twists.
I lived the switch from conventional “hot type” typesetting to “cold type” primitive computers in my first career out of college as a newspaper reporter. The old way of making newspapers required placing individual letters — that were made of lead — into large, heavy frames in a reverse mirror image. The frames were then bolted onto giant printing machines where rolls of paper became the newspapers we read every day. The thunderous, dangerous, and noisy pressrooms gave way to an era of photo sensitive paper, waxed into big sheets, copied onto plastic and attached to the same giant printing machines. It was just the beginning of the change that would make everyone into a journalist — good and bad — with the ability to wirelessly send their stories anywhere in the world with the touch of a button. Unfortunately, it has sadly meant the demise of many printed newspapers.
The twists and turns and unintended consequences did not happen overnight. In fact, in the world of publishing, the death of local newspapers has been gradual over the decades, not a sudden crash and burn. This change has been a bit painful for those of us who still cherish the smell and feel of a Sunday morning newspaper. I have never been able to get used to the feeling of reading on an iPad; it does not give me the same warm memories as a paper rolling off the presses, making my fingers slightly dirty.
The energy transition has may parallels with newspapers that are rolling out over a quickening pace. The traditional “hot type” world of large power plants and massive transmission projects is giving way to smaller scale generation, power at the distribution system level, and thousands of households adding local resources.
United Power is working through the ins and outs of our transition to new power suppliers and a new way of operating. We are moving from a single large supplier to more than a dozen — managing our risk through system diversity. We are looking at new ways of operating our system and trying to keep as much hyper-localized and home grown resources as possible. The hyper-localized model, including significant amounts of energy storage, is going to be required as the time to build new transmission is coupled with the closure of major coal plants. This is not a political question but the reality of the marketplace matched with the changing face of regulatory environments.
Hyper-localized generation has significant benefits for our communities as it keeps tax dollars in our region, brings a higher level of reliability and control, and reduces the stress on the transmission grid at a time when more and more electrification is occurring. Our new fuel mix will dramatically reduce carbon intensity rates as we blend natural gas, renewables, and storage while also making the best use of the Board of Directors’ investments in the distribution system over the decades.
For United Power, the transition will occur in phases. Knowing our low tolerance for risk, we have constructed a portfolio that in the short-term mirrors much of what we have with our current supplier in terms of capacity — albeit slightly lower in cost than what we expect it to be in the next 24 months — with a significant change in the mix of energy. As capacity becomes less expensive and markets develop in the short time beyond that window (2026-2027), we will become experts in managing and operating our system with the new tools in place.
As one of my business school professors always mused, “The future is already here, it is just not widely distributed yet.” At United Power we are committed to this transition for the benefit of our members.
As always, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.
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December Message from Mark A. Gabriel
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Wednesday | December 1, 2021
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A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
During my first nine months here at United Power I have had the tremendous opportunity to experience “the cooperative difference” as we serve our rapidly growing base of members.
What is the cooperative difference? It is the way we are all member-owners of this great organization. It is the way we interact in serving your communities and it is the way we recognize the importance of supporting the United Power “family.” Many different types of organizations provide power, but cooperatives do it in unique fashion.
Here are just a few of my experiences since coming to United Power:
In November we commissioned a generator in Gilpin County that will provide the school system and emergency responders a reliable source of power should there be an extended outage. The school is at the end of a radial line in the rugged and beautiful community we serve in the mountains. This automated generator will kick in should power be curtailed in a storm or other challenging event. More importantly, this will offer the members of the community a place of refuge in times of crisis. Working with the Gilpin County School District and the Office of Emergency Management, United Power engineers and linemen made sure the system was up and running for this winter.
In support of the Metro North Lead Program, I had the chance to meet with the up-and-coming leaders from around our service territory and engage in a discussion about the history – and coming changes – in the electric industry. I had a similar opportunity to speak with the Weld County Board of County Commissioners. We had a lively engagement on the future of electric generation and transmission, as well as the impact of the growing natural gas and oil businesses.
Our crews are out every day making sure the system is strong and resilient. They are there, rain, snow or shine, understanding the critical nature of electricity. And, behind every one of them are the dispatchers, financial analysts, member service representatives, engineers and other employees working hard to keep rates low and reliability high. As we all know, these jobs are even more difficult as we continue to manage in a COVID workplace.
A number of members have reached out to me on a variety of topics, from electric vehicles to renewables and coal, with ideas for the system. I respond to each personally as working at United Power is more than just my vocation but is my avocation as well. I encourage you to contact me with questions, concerns and opinions at www.unitedpower.com/CEO.
The next few years will bring remarkable changes to the energy industry across the country. The cooperative difference means we have a special lens, asking not only what we can do to improve our system but how can we improve the lives of our members. The flexibility of the cooperative model means your input is solicited and valued. Your Board of Directors is a direct pipeline to our organization, and they represent you with passion.
During the next several months we will be having conversations across the communities we serve focused on our 10-Year Working Plan that lays out a vision and priorities for the coming decade. We want to ensure there is an aligned vision for the future as we take advantage of the technologies, societal changes and improved environmental footprint at United Power. We must welcome the changes our members require with open arms as electric vehicles, solar panels, battery storage and yet-to-be-determined technologies expand across our footprint. As a cooperative we are anxious to help our communities thrive and are driven to ensure an even brighter future.
Whether it is providing technical information, working with developers who are expanding housing and business opportunities to our local economy or partnering to bring efficiencies to industry, the cooperative difference is in our DNA. It is why we exist, what we strive for every day and how we live our values.
Decking the Halls Safely
Thursday | November 14, 2019
The holiday season is quickly approaching, and with it the time to put up festive lights, both indoors and outdoors, to enjoy along with the holiday season.
Read more >
Demand & Summer Heat
Monday | June 1, 2020
With more people expected to work from home this summer, temperatures might not be the only thing rising.
Read more >
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Democracy at the Cooperative
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Friday | February 14, 2025
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United Power members’ votes in the Director Election determine who represents them on the co-op's Board.
United Power members are uniquely given the opportunity to have a voice in the future of their electric utility. Each year, our members’ votes in the Director Election determine who will represent them on the co-op’s Board of Directors. As an electric cooperative, your participation in the annual election is critical to helping the co-op better serve its members.
Every Vote Matters Equally
United Power is a not-for-profit cooperative owned and controlled by the members it serves. When you become a member, you automatically receive the benefits all other members share, including the right to vote for board representation. As a member, your vote is equal to any other member’s vote, regardless of the kind of account they have or how large it is. “One member, one vote” is part of the cooperative principle known as Democratic Member Control. Director candidates must also live or work within United Power’s service territory, so you know you will be voting for someone who understands your community’s needs. They could even be your friends or neighbors.
Running for a Board Position
The primary difference between an investor-owned utility (IOU) and a cooperative is democratic control. IOUs make decisions to appease stakeholders and shareholders who might not live in the same state, let alone the same community. Any United Power member who meets the qualifications outlined in the bylaws is eligible to run for a position on the cooperative’s eleven-member Board of Directors. Directors serve four-year terms in one of four geographical districts. Members vote on an “at-large” basis, explained in more detail next.
Voting in the Election
Balloting opens March 14. United Power encourages all members to cast their votes in this year’s election. Members may vote electronically through their online account, or via mail ballots, sent to all members in mid-March. Directors represent all members and are therefore elected on an “at-large” basis. This means members may cast a vote for a director in each district and not just their own. Directors serve in geographic districts to ensure adequate accessibility for members and to provide a representative cross-section of United Power’s member base in the cooperative’s governing body.
Your vote always matters. To learn more about a director candidate, consider attending our Meet the Candidates event. Candidates will be announced in February, and candidate statements will be printed in the March newsletter and available online.
2025 Director Election
This year, three positions on the United Power Board are up for election at the 2025 Annual Meeting & Director Election, scheduled for April 16. Members may submit their votes electronically, via mail ballot, or in person at the Annual Meeting.
More information about how members may vote in this year’s Director Election can be found here.
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Democracy at the Cooperative
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Tuesday | February 11, 2020
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Each year our members’ votes in the director election determine who will represent them on the co-op’s board.
Prior to this year’s national elections in November, United Power members have the opportunity to have a say in the future of their electric cooperative. Each year our members’ votes in the director election determine who will represent them on the co-op’s board.
United Power invites participation from its members. Members have a finger on the pulse of their communities and understand what’s important to them. As an electric utility, your knowledge is critical to helping the co-op better serve its members.
Every Vote Matters Equally
United Power is a not-for-profit cooperative owned and controlled by the members it serves. When you become a member, you automatically receive the benefits all other members share, including the right to vote for board representation. Your vote always matters. As a member, your vote carries equal weight as any other member’s vote, regardless of what kind of account they have or how large it is. This is a cooperative principle known as “one member, one vote.” Director candidates must also live within United Power’s service territory, so you know you’ll be voting for someone who understands your community’s needs. They could even be your friends or neighbors.
Running for a Board Position
The primary difference between an investor-owned utility (IOU) and cooperative is democratic control. IOUs make decisions to appease stakeholders and shareholders who might not live in the same state, let alone the same community. Any United Power member in good standing is eligible to run for a position on the cooperative’s eleven-member board of directors. Directors serve three-year terms in one of four geographical districts. Although directors must live in one of these districts, members vote on an “at-large” basis, explained in more detail next.
Voting in the Election
The cooperative mails director ballots in March and encourages all members to cast votes in the election. Although directors live in a specific geographic district, they represent all members and are therefore elected on an “at-large” basis. This means members may cast a vote for a director in each district and not just their own. Directors serve in geographic districts to ensure adequate accessibility for members and to provide a representative cross-section of United Power’s member base in their leadership role. Learn more about voting policy here. Your vote always matters. To learn more about a director candidate, consider attending one of our Meet the Candidate events. Director statements are published online after February 14.
2020 Director Election
This year, four positions on United Power’s board are up for election at the 2020 Annual Meeting & Director Election, scheduled for Wednesday, April 15, 2020. Members may submit their ballot via mail, at drop boxes located at any United Power office location or in-person at the Annual Meeting. More information about how to submit your ballot may be found on the Annual Meeting page.
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Director Candidate Statements
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Friday | March 20, 2020
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There are four director seats up for election at the 2020 Annual Meeting. Director positions in the South, East, West and Mountain districts are up for three-year terms.
Annual MeetingCandidate Statements
There are four director seats up for election at the 2020 Annual Meeting. Director positions in the South, East, West and Mountain districts are up for three-year terms. Be sure to read about each of the candidates before casting your ballot. United Power directors serve in geographic districts, but they are elected on an “at-large” basis. Please vote for one candidate in EACH director district.
SOUTH DISTRICT
Greg Campbell
Greg grew up in California with his father working in the energy industry. Greg always knew he wanted to be an engineer, and he followed that dream and attended the Colorado School of Mines, graduating in 2005. Growing up on project job sites, he knew the best experience to learn the energy industry would be in the field. In addition to working throughout the U.S., he has worked around the world, with jobsites in eight different countries.
After doing this for about ten years, Greg was able to witness the surge within the U.S. in oil and gas, and he knew it was time to be part of this exciting growth away from energy dependence from foreign countries. He moved back to Colorado where he enjoyed his education, met his wife, and he now has a four-year-old son which has given him a newfound outlook for the importance of health and safety within the energy community.
Greg joined Summit Engineering in April of 2016 and is the Senior Vice President. Greg’s understanding of the energy industry and business helped him succeed in growing SESI from 23 people in 2016 ($4M in revenue) to over 140 people in 2020 ($20M+ in revenue). Greg has presented to the COGCC, in addition to his local Commerce City Chamber of Commerce regarding the industry and the drive to provide clean, safe and affordable energy to all of Colorado.
Greg’s focus around engineering regarding the health of our communities, safety of all engineering and design processed within SESI, in addition to the environmental economics surrounding this industry, has helped his company spearhead the industry through the political storm currently being experienced in Colorado. Greg understands that the changing political spectrum will result in new laws that will have an impact on the energy market, and the price of utilities to the consumer. Without a plan in place to balance where we get our electricity from (e.g. natural gas, coal, renewables, hydroelectric), we will create an upset condition in the market where the end user is the one that suffers.
The main goal of running for this position is to bring a point of view to United Power from someone who is “boots on the ground” in the industry. Colorado electricity is primarily created from coal and natural gas, and the electricity created by renewable sources has more than doubled since 2010. Politicians, both locally and nationally, continue to push an agenda to move away from fossil fuels. If elected, Greg will drive a balanced, long term approach to utilize the cleanest and cheapest form of electricity that utilizes the existing infrastructure, thus ensuring the least amount of impact to each member of United Power.
Stan Martin
United Power Board needs NEW LIFE and new blood.
As Adams County Clerk and Recorder I rolled up my sleeves implementing new innovation and technology saving you the taxpayer over $2 Million during my four year term.
As President Elect of the Colorado County Clerks Association having the opportunity to guide a statewide organization I learned what true leadership accomplishes.
As a 20 year local small business owner I learned what it takes to operate and oversee a successful business.
As a local native I learned that investing in our community pays dividends down the road.
As President of a Metro District I learned the importance of customer service.
As 17th Judicial District Board Commissioner I learned the value of being a public servant.
As a follower of Christ, I learned our purpose and identity in this life.
As your next United Power Director, I’ll work on your behalf to bring much needed “Term Limits” creating future opportunity for fresh new ideas ultimately driving innovation and technology better serving your electrical needs for generations.
As a customer just like you, what would it look like to bring NEW LIFE to United Power?
Please vote for Stan Martin this April.
Phil Noble
United Power is a co-op to be very proud of. It is always working to increase member value, improve rural and urban service, safeguard the environment and drive toward renewable energy sources. The future, however, has challenges that will require more innovation and leadership. I would like to become an important collaborating team member who contributes experience and knowledge to augment the Board of Directors’ strategic decision-making. As a board member of United Power, I would like to utilize my system-thinking expertise to accomplish strategies to meet the demand for using even fewer hydrocarbons and more energy alternatives. Having started my career in a small town in Illinois working summers and winters during college with the local municipally-owned electrical power facility, I have come full circle to this moment.
After graduating from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL I earned a master’s degree at the University of Texas in Arlington. In Texas, I worked in research and organizational development roles with public and private institutions, including the University of Texas Medical Branch, Monsanto and Exxon.
In 1993 I moved to Colorado for an opportunity at StorageTek as a Senior Organizational Development consultant, in which I focused primarily on business and quality processes as well as executive coaching, strategic planning and customer intelligence gathering.
Seven years later, I became an independent consultant and worked with, to name a few, the US Forest Service, Department of Defense, Exxon, Hewlett Packard, Lucent Technologies and startups in Silicon Valley. In 2005 I became Director of Organizational Development for a Baldridge Award-winning hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, and later continued in healthcare as Director of Workforce Development at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center in Wyoming.
In 2009 I joined the Adams County Workforce and Business Center, and two years later became the Director/Administrator. In that capacity, I was involved in board leadership in several organizations:
Executive Director, Adams County Workforce Development Board
Board Member, Adams County Education Consortium
Board Member, Adams County Economic Development
Board Member, Brighton Economic Development
Chair, Colorado Urban Workforce Alliance
Upon retirement, I planned to participate in outdoor activities, write and enjoy time with my wife and with my two adult children who also live in Commerce City, and I also knew I wanted to make a contribution where community, accountability and planning for the next generations’ future are priorities. That is United Power. I respectfully invite your consideration of my many years of community involvement, board experience, applied systems thinking, organizational skills, and deep understanding of workforce realities to represent your co-op member interests on the Board of Directors of United Power. Thank you for your support.
Dave E. Rose
United Power has had much success in the past few years and it has been a privilege to serve you as your United Power Director during these successful years. There are still many challenges facing United Power in our efforts to reduce rates and provide clean, reliable power to your homes, farms and businesses and I would like to continue to represent you. Based on my director certifications I have earned in the past few years I continue to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to make valuable decisions for all members. I am Dave Rose asking for your vote and support to re-elect me so I can continue to work for you.
I have been active in community events, meetings, and new developments that UP has initiated to better serve all the members in the UP territories. During this time UP has welcomed 2400 new members in Frederick, opened the Carbon Valley Service Center, implemented the Fire Mitigation Policy, exceeded $500 million in assets for the first time and reached 843 consecutive days without loss of time injuries. Also, during this time frame UP built the largest storage battery system in the state and quickly restored power outages during the bomb cyclone winter storm.
These are just a few of the major accomplishments and I know the importance of providing, affordable, reliable, safe, environmentally friendly electrical service to all the residential, agricultural and business members. I will continue to work hard for you as we negotiate with Tri-State to reduce energy rates and provide more flexibility in member choice. In my continued efforts to serve you I look forward visiting all the communities in the UP territories to meet and listen to UP members’ energy needs.
Experiences and Qualifications
United Power Board of Directors, 2014 – current
Almost Home Board of Directors, 2012 – current
Colorado Air and Space Port Advisory Board, 2013 -2020
Brighton Urban Renewal Authority, 2002 – 2019
Former Brighton Mayor and City Councilman (6 years)
Former RTD Board of Directors (8 years)
Kiwanis Club of Brighton, 1990 – current
Registered Psychotherapist (part-time), 2015 – 2020
Former Brighton Elementary School Principal, 32 years (National Distinguished Principal)
Formal education: B.S and M.S. degrees (Northeast Missouri State College) and Ed.S. U of Iowa
Family Man: Wife, Wilma, Son Ryan Daughter-in-Law, Connie, Grandson Hayden and Cooper, Daughters, Samantha, Megan and Son-in-Law Andrew Garnett and Granddaughter Blair.
EAST DISTRICT
James Vigesaa
Greetings United Power Members
Looking back on the past nine years I have served as your East District Director; it is amazing how the cooperative has grown and evolved during this time.
In 2011 when I became a Board Member our Annual Load was approximately 2,796 megawatts. By 2019 our Load has grown to approximately 4,951 megawatts—a 77 percent increase. The United Power “Can Do” team of great employees has not only seamlessly managed this growth but has actually increased our reliability of keeping the lights on! For a reliability snapshot comparison, In January of this year 2020 we had 48% less meters affected by outages than our historical five year average—and this was done while we added 20,000 meters to the system.
Nationally, thoughts on how power is generated has evolved with on coal fired generation being highly discouraged and renewable generation encouraged in its place. Locally, We have addressed this by providing Cost Effective green/alternative energy for our members through our industrial scale solar fields and other renewables. We have also worked with members who desire their own rooftop solar to the extent that approximately 3% of our residential members utilize rooftop solar-putting us near the top of electrical distribution systems for the use of rooftop solar. In addition to renewable generation, We have pioneered the use of Battery Storage. Our 4 Megawatt Battery Storage uses power at night (When demand is low) to charge the batteries, and then release that power back onto the grid during daytime peak demand. Using this battery storage allows the power plants to be more efficient and reduces the need for new power plant construction. Not only is the use of this renewable generation and battery storage good for the environment, it also saves our members money by reducing the cost of power nearly $4,000,000 dollars a year.
Looking ahead to the future—the biggest challenge facing us is power supply. We are working with our power supplier, Tri-State Generation to reduce the cost of our power supply as well as increase the amount of renewable generation within the power supply. As your Board of Directors, we make business decisions based on what is best for our members. We all are very committed to cost effectiveness, and for 2019 we have returned $5.5 million in Capital Credits back to our members.
I thank you for the opportunity to continue to serve you on the Board Of Directors and look forward to the next 3 years focusing on power supply, continued cost effectiveness and retirement of Capital Credits. Please do not hesitate to contact me at jvigesaa@unitedpower.coop with any questions, comments or concerns that you may have.
WEST DISTRICT
Virginia "Ginny" A. Buczek
Virginia “Ginny’’ Buczek, is the incumbent director in the West District, and currently works part-time in design review. She has 13 years private sector managerial work experience and studied business management at Red Rocks Community College. Buczek earned her CCD, Board Leadership and Gold Leadership certifications from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). During her tenure she has served as the President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, and currently chairs The Audit Committee. Buczek is United Power’s director on the Colorado Rural Electric Association Board (CREA). She is Vice President of the CREA Board, serves on CREA’s Executive and Policy Committees. She has served as CREA’s Secretary, Treasure and Budget and Finance Chair. Buczek represents United Power on the TriState G&T Contract Committee.
Ginny’s elected and appointed experience includes: Weld County Council, Southwest Weld Technical Committee, Tri-area Ambulance Board of Directors. She has been active in her hometown, on the Firestone Planning Commission, Firestone Board of Trustees, and Park Commission, receiving the Colorado State Parks’, Conservation Hero Award, 2006. She served on United Power Round-Up Foundation before being elected as a United Power Director.
She has been active in many civic groups including 4-H, Girl Scouts, Neighborhood Watch, and Frederick High School Booster Club. Ginny is a member of the Colorado WestPoint Parents Club, has served on congressional and a senatorial Military Academy Appointment Boards and is a member of Weld County’s Bright Futures Advisory Board.
“The electric industry is rapidly changing; presenting new opportunities and challenges requiring experienced, knowledgeable leadership. It is the responsibility of Directors to contribute to decisions resulting in a focused plan to maximize and leverage opportunities, mitigate risk and maintain a quality workforce. Ensuring safe, reliable, cost efficient electrical power, financial stability, maintaining quality service for all United Power members, and positioning the Cooperative to provide the future needs of our communities are fundamental Board duties.
I have been a committed member of the United Power community for twenty-nine years and remain focused on the families and businesses of our community. I thank you, for the investment you have made in me as one of your United Power Directors. That investment has provided hundreds of hours of Electric Cooperative education. Using my electric director education, coop experience and the input you have provided, I will continue to work for the best interest of the members. Thank you, for your continued support and interest in Your Coop. I would be honored to serve you, the members, for another term.”
James P. Menghi
Jim Menghi has been a United Power member for 9 years. Jim is retired from a career in accounting and auditing. Jim worked at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) as the Deputy Director of the Joint Office for Science Support (JOSS) since 2002 and Internal Auditor/Compliance Officer from 1985 to 2002. Jim retired in 2016. Previously, he was an Auditor with the US General Accounting Office (GAO) for nine years. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from the University of Delaware and held several related professional certifications during his career. In addition, Jim has served on the Elevations Credit Union Board of Directors since 2008. During his directorship of this financial cooperative, Elevations increased membership to 139,000 and assets under management to $2.2 Billion. Under Jim’s directorship, Elevations was awarded many quality awards. The most noteworthy award is the Malcolm Baldridge Presidential Quality Award awarded in 2015. As with any company’s efforts to improve the quality of products and services, the Malcolm Baldridge framework changed the corporate culture to focus on quality. The general sentiment among the staff is “it is more about the journey than the award.”
Raising two daughters has been his pride and joy, but when possible he walks, bikes and hikes, taking advantage of the great Colorado outdoor lifestyle.
As a successful candidate for United Power Board of Directors, Jim will apply his governance and fiduciary experience to act with integrity while representing and supporting United Power’s and our members’ best interests.
MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
Tamra K. Waltemath
I, Tamra (Tami) Waltemath am currently the director for the Mountain District. In my three years as a director, I have worked hard to educate myself about the electric industry, taking classes to obtain a Credentialed Cooperative Director designation and a Board Leadership certificate from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). United Power is a leader in the move toward battery storage, community solar, renewable energy, micro-grids and fire mitigation in our mountains. New technologies are challenging the electric industry to be cleaner, cheaper and more dependable and I would like to continue to be involved in the efforts to make United Power the best cooperative in Colorado.
I have a good background to be your director. I am an attorney with my own practice in Westminster, Colorado. As an attorney I have experience in operating a business, I understand contracts and contractual relationships as well as employee issues and I understand the fiduciary duties required of a director. I am comfortable with making daily decisions as well as planning for long range goals. Participating on a board requires engaging in a group collaborative process, a skill I have found necessary to be a good attorney.
I currently serve on the board of directors for the Coal Creek Community Improvement Association and I believe in giving back to my community. United Power as a cooperative, follows cooperative principles which include supporting the communities it serves. I will continue to be a director who encourages the efforts of United Power to actively engage its members to be informed about what is taking place in their communities. United Power helps bring communities together by helping them to hold events like parades, community dinners and children’s events. I feel proud to be a director of a corporation that supports its communities and provides value to our members.
As a United Power member, I am a consumer, like you. As a United Power director, I promise to work with the entire United Power community to achieve a clean energy future. I will listen to the concerns and needs of all our members, because it is the members I serve as a director and I would be honored to serve you for another term.
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Crossing A Meter Milestone
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Tuesday | July 13, 2021
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United Power surpasses 100,000 meters, becoming the second in Colorado - and 31st nationwide - to reach the milestone.
United Power Just the 31st Cooperative Nationally to Reach 100,000 Meters
United Power in June became one of just a handful of electric cooperatives nationwide to surpass 100,000 meters. The achievement highlights a period of sustained growth for the Brighton-based co-op that began in the early 2000s and continued even this past year despite a historic pandemic. United Power had anticipated reaching the meter mark in 2021 but did so much earlier than expected due to an increase in growth early this year.
By surpassing 100,000 meters, United Power becomes just the second Colorado electric cooperative to reach the mark, joining Intermountain Rural Electric Association, headquartered southwest of Denver in Sedalia.
“It is truly a historic accomplishment to reach this meter milestone,” said Mark A. Gabriel, United Power’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “United Power has long had a reputation for excellence among its cooperative peers, and it now joins a select few who serve more than 100,000 meters. Our size and reputation will amplify our voice in helping shape the future of the electric industry.”
Like all electric cooperatives, United Power was established to serve a largely rural population in an area that was considered too inconvenient or unprofitable for large electric utilities. Today, there are more than 800 electric cooperatives serving members throughout the country. Many have remained small because of the sparsely populated areas they are serving, but others, like United Power, have found themselves in rapidly growing areas close to large metropolitans.
Few cities are experiencing the growth surge that began in Denver several years ago. While much of the cooperative’s service territory is still rural, it now also serves some of the fastest growing communities in the country as more people are relocating to the Denver area. Maintaining control of the area has not always been easy. United Power had to survive an aggressive buyout attempt from the Public Service Company of Colorado — now Xcel Energy — which no longer saw the cooperative’s service territory as either unprofitable or inconvenient.
United Power was established by a group of farmers in and around Brighton in 1938 with only a couple hundred original members. It took the cooperative nearly 40 years to surpass 10,000 meters. When United Power reached an agreement with Public Service Company to forgo the buyout in the mid-1980s, growth had come to the area, but not like it would in the years to follow. By 2004, it had reached 50,000 meters, and a decade later in 2015 surpassed 75,000. During its largest growth year in 2004, the cooperative gained approximately 5,000 new meters, more than it gained during a twenty year stretch from 1950-1970 combined.
The cooperative has already experienced record growth again this year, and is on pace to add several thousand more meters to its system before the end of the year. The continued growth has United Power now setting its sights on the next meter mark.
“We are adding new meters at an unprecedented rate,” said Gabriel. “But more importantly, we are adding members. Each new meter represents a new family on our lines or a new business helping shape the economy of the communities we serve. Our members make us stronger, and they make our communities stronger. As your cooperative, it is our privilege to be able to serve each and every one of our members.”
United Power invites members to join in celebrating this meter milestone with the cooperative and with each other at our 100,000 Meter Open House celebration at the Carbon Valley Service Center on August 28. The events will provide members with an opportunity to learn more about the cooperative and see how its newest facility and office location are effectively serving members on the west side of the service territory.
United Power has partnered with the Carbon Valley Help Center and encourages event attendees to bring a canned food item or cash donations to assist the Help Center in meeting the needs of others in the area.
Join us!United Power 100,000 Meter Open House Celebration
Saturday, August 28
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Cutting Into Supply Chain Delays
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Thursday | July 7, 2022
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With supply chain uncertainty, United Power purchased a new plasma cutter to bypass delays on essential parts and pieces.
Electric cooperatives rely on crucial materials to maintain the safety, reliability, and resiliency of their electric system. Supply chain delays are creating new challenges for most industries, but it’s been particularly difficult for electric utilities facing weeks-long delays on parts and materials necessary to ensure a properly functioning system.
“We’re experiencing six- to eight-week delays on standard maintenance materials, like mounts and brackets,” said Curtis Subia, United Power’s Vice President of Asset Management and Supply Chain. “It may be tempting to waive off something as small as a bracket if other materials are available, but without these brackets, projects come to a standstill. Even small pieces are absolutely essential to safely building our infrastructure.”
With uncertainty surrounding how long supply chain issues may persist, United Power purchased a new piece of equipment that will help the cooperative bypass delays and fabricate whole parts in-house without having to wait for backorders to be filled. A mechanized plasma cutter (pictured right) can precisely cut pieces out of sheet metal in just minutes. The pieces it produces are often ready for immediate use in the field.
“We could either wait weeks for orders to be delivered or we could figure out a timely way to make them ourselves,” said Subia. “We can’t shut down projects because the supply chain can’t keep up with demand, so we had to come up with a solution.”
United Power mechanics suggested the plasma cutter as an alternative. They have been fabricating parts for years when something is unavailable or if they need a custom piece. However, manual fabrication is slow, lacks precision, and is dangerous. The plasma cutter can be preprogrammed with almost any design and ready to use in just a few minutes. Once a design has been stored, the software can recall it again at any time. It’s a safer option for the mechanics and frees up their time to be spent on other projects.
“It can do things the human hand can’t do,” said Kevin Isham, a mechanic at United Power. “It can cut a piece over and over with precision and perfection in half the time it would take one of us to create a single piece. Having it makes our jobs quicker and safer.”
There’s no sign supply chain issues are coming to an end anytime soon. The plasma cutter represents another innovative solution United Power has adopted to meet the needs of the cooperative and its members in challenging circumstances.
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Days of Service Returns
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Tuesday | November 18, 2025
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More than 90 employees volunteered at eight local organizations in October.
Employees Volunteered at Eight Local Organizations in October
United Power celebrated National Co-op Month in October with the return of its popular Days of Service campaign for the second consecutive year. The cooperative collaborated with local nonprofits on eight service projects designed to provide volunteer opportunities for employees to spend a day giving back.
These projects emphasize the co-op’s commitment to the communities it serves and recognize the importance of nonprofits that are meeting the needs of members. This year, more than 90 employees participated.
“Our employees share the cooperative’s commitment to care for the local community,” said Julie Stewart, United Power’s Community Outreach Specialist. “They understand how important these organizations, and the services they provide, are to local families, and they were excited to volunteer.”
Some of the projects included building a fence and cleaning on-site areas at Happiness Through Horses; trail maintenance and winter prep at the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies; prepping spaces for upcoming projects at the Pennock Center; and packing food for distribution at the Adams County Food Bank, Fort Lupton Food and Clothing Bank, Pastor’s Pantry, and the Weld Food Bank’s mobile pantry. United Power employees also donated hygiene products throughout the month and helped pack kits for Sparkling Kindness.
“I am very thankful that I could participate and help an organization in our service territory,” said one employee after helping distribute food to local families at the Weld Food Bank. “These opportunities set us apart from other electric utilities and show how much we truly care about our members.”
These organizations are a continual reminder that the cooperative serves thriving communities thanks to our members’ spirits of service and commitment to giving back. Local residents recognized an important need in their community and found a way to meet it with the help of like-minded friends and neighbors. It resembles the way electric cooperatives were formed nearly 90 years ago when local farmers came together to establish a local power company, owned by the members it serves.
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December Message from Mark A. Gabriel
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Monday | December 1, 2025
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A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
No one likes rate increases. Full stop.
By the same token, maintaining a financially healthy cooperative is a critical part of United Power’s mission. Our staff — and your Board of Directors — work diligently to make sure rates are matched closely with the utility’s operating costs. It is those growing costs that require the Jan. 1 rate increase.
The supply chain for many products, including those we use at the cooperative, have still not recovered from the pandemic, even before tariffs began impacting costs. Power poles are up 25-40% since 2020, transformers have doubled in price, copper wire is up 50%, and construction labor has increased by nearly 40%. Uncertainty in power generation, and which resources will be in favor from one administration to the next, is making generators and power providers hesitant to commit to long-term pricing. And, to further complicate the issue, more large power generating stations are coming offline, forcing capacity prices upward. It is more difficult for companies to commit to pricing when tariffs are in flux and off-shore/near-shore manufacturers that make many of the products utilities use are not sure if they will be able to sell products in the U.S.
United Power has worked to build a portfolio of hyper-localized projects to manage our wholesale power costs, believing that is the most logical and efficient solution in an uncertain financial environment. We have one of the largest distributed battery systems in the nation and recently opened the newest, most efficient gas plant in the country. We continue to contract for low-cost solar energy. In October, we committed to an additional 200 megawatts of solar coupled with 150 megawatts of battery storage, and we look forward to a power market coming to Colorado in April.
We are also committed to helping our members better manage their usage and bills through a variety of programs. We have dramatically reduced our peak energy hours, the time of day when our wholesale energy costs are at their highest, allowing members to shift demand and save on bills. The peak window has shortened from 2-10 p.m. to 5-9 p.m., a more rational window that makes it easier for members to navigate. Rates before and after the new peak are approximately 6.7 cents. An analysis of 2024 aggregated usage data shows that many residential and commercial members could benefit by moving to a time of use rate. Click here for detailed information about the 2026 rate change. Members can also reach out to an energy management specialist for help analyzing their energy usage and selecting the best rate to save on costs. Additionally, tools to help improve your energy efficiency are available here.
The story is the same across Colorado and the rest of the country. Virtually every utility (electric, gas, and water) is facing the challenge of holding down costs as long as possible. United Power has only had one year of rate increases (2024) during my nearly five years as CEO. The Board intentionally held back on raising rates during COVID, understanding the impact on an already challenged local economy. We do not take the matter of raising rates lightly, and we commit to managing your investments well.
As your cooperative and a key member of the communities we serve, United Power works every day to keep the lights on and power flowing in the most reliable and cost competitive way possible. We realize even small increases are challenging for many of our members and stand ready to help people manage their energy wisely.
As always, please feel free to reach out with any comments or questions. It is my honor to serve as your President and CEO and to lead this team of amazing people.
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December Message from Mark A. Gabriel
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Tuesday | December 3, 2024
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A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
No one dislikes power outages more than those of us in the electric utility business. In a world of increasing dependence on quality electric power, the task of keeping the lights on is more critical — and challenging — every day.
Coupled with the dramatic increase in electrification across dozens of industries and businesses, our members’ requirements for reliable supply increases with each passing day. More people working from home, spurred by the pandemic, has only exacerbated the need for greater reliability — and its cousin, resiliency.
The only business I know that measures as many statistical categories as the electric industry is baseball, where every play is broken down into records dating back decades. Balls, strikes, batting percentages, hits with runners in scoring position — even the number of strikes versus balls — are all analyzed and used to change the game.
Our “batting averages” in the electric industry are things like SAIDI* (the duration of outages), SAIFI* (frequency of outages), and MAIFI* (momentary average interruption frequency). We measure and report on dozens of indices and make investments to continuously improve. We call balls and strikes on ourselves as we get better. It is also why we keep investing in new technologies, such as our outage management system, and have expanded how we use data from our advanced metering infrastructure and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. We mine the alphabet soup of technologies in the never-ending pursuit to keep the lights on.
However, even with our efforts, any outage or momentary blip can cause headaches. That is why we work so diligently to manage our system to avoid such incidents.
Why do the lights “go out” unexpectedly? United Power’s leading causes of outages are critters and crashes, followed by weather and equipment failure. Sometimes our transmission providers have incidents. There are also certain times we must take outages to upgrade equipment. Much of our system is underground — a tremendous investment, but one that pays dividends over time. But even undergrounding electrical service does not make the system immune from outages. In fact, underground faults can be more difficult to find and take more time to repair.
Digitalization of our lives has also made the quality of power more challenging. Older lights, motors, and machinery had a wide range of electric tolerance. This was as true in the home as it was in industry. Today’s digitalized equipment means the tolerance of even a temporary dip in power can make a difference. Some additional sensitivity comes from things like new refrigerators which try to match the motor size to load for energy efficiency, but also tolerates less voltage fluctuations. Think back to refrigerators that last 20 years or more versus today.
United Power operates at the distribution level, or the wires that bring electricity directly to homes and businesses. We strive to keep the lights on. In the past, 99.99% of ASAI* (average system “up time”) was sufficient. That meant, on average, just eight minutes of outage time per year, which was acceptable in the past but challenging in today’s digital environment. While 99.99% is good for many things, 99.999% is even better, meaning just eight seconds of outage time. Even that, however, is not fault tolerant enough in some situations. There is a very real limitation to what is possible across a large distribution network serving a significant number of varying electric loads.
It is therefore important to understand that while we do everything possible to keep the electrons flowing, there are limitations across this broad system. It is why even in our cooperative offices every computer has a backup power supply, and our building has a backup generator.
Winter weather is upon us, and we will work to keep the lights on. This is only possible due to the brave women and men of United Power who work diligently though snow, sleet, and freezing rain to restore power. As always, please feel free to reach out to me with your questions, comments, and concerns.
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December Message from Mark A. Gabriel
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Monday | December 4, 2023
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A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
Transitions in life, both personal and professional, always have interesting twists.
I lived the switch from conventional “hot type” typesetting to “cold type” primitive computers in my first career out of college as a newspaper reporter. The old way of making newspapers required placing individual letters — that were made of lead — into large, heavy frames in a reverse mirror image. The frames were then bolted onto giant printing machines where rolls of paper became the newspapers we read every day. The thunderous, dangerous, and noisy pressrooms gave way to an era of photo sensitive paper, waxed into big sheets, copied onto plastic and attached to the same giant printing machines. It was just the beginning of the change that would make everyone into a journalist — good and bad — with the ability to wirelessly send their stories anywhere in the world with the touch of a button. Unfortunately, it has sadly meant the demise of many printed newspapers.
The twists and turns and unintended consequences did not happen overnight. In fact, in the world of publishing, the death of local newspapers has been gradual over the decades, not a sudden crash and burn. This change has been a bit painful for those of us who still cherish the smell and feel of a Sunday morning newspaper. I have never been able to get used to the feeling of reading on an iPad; it does not give me the same warm memories as a paper rolling off the presses, making my fingers slightly dirty.
The energy transition has may parallels with newspapers that are rolling out over a quickening pace. The traditional “hot type” world of large power plants and massive transmission projects is giving way to smaller scale generation, power at the distribution system level, and thousands of households adding local resources.
United Power is working through the ins and outs of our transition to new power suppliers and a new way of operating. We are moving from a single large supplier to more than a dozen — managing our risk through system diversity. We are looking at new ways of operating our system and trying to keep as much hyper-localized and home grown resources as possible. The hyper-localized model, including significant amounts of energy storage, is going to be required as the time to build new transmission is coupled with the closure of major coal plants. This is not a political question but the reality of the marketplace matched with the changing face of regulatory environments.
Hyper-localized generation has significant benefits for our communities as it keeps tax dollars in our region, brings a higher level of reliability and control, and reduces the stress on the transmission grid at a time when more and more electrification is occurring. Our new fuel mix will dramatically reduce carbon intensity rates as we blend natural gas, renewables, and storage while also making the best use of the Board of Directors’ investments in the distribution system over the decades.
For United Power, the transition will occur in phases. Knowing our low tolerance for risk, we have constructed a portfolio that in the short-term mirrors much of what we have with our current supplier in terms of capacity — albeit slightly lower in cost than what we expect it to be in the next 24 months — with a significant change in the mix of energy. As capacity becomes less expensive and markets develop in the short time beyond that window (2026-2027), we will become experts in managing and operating our system with the new tools in place.
As one of my business school professors always mused, “The future is already here, it is just not widely distributed yet.” At United Power we are committed to this transition for the benefit of our members.
As always, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.
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December Message from Mark A. Gabriel
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Wednesday | December 1, 2021
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A message to United Power members from the cooperative's President & Chief Executive Officer.
During my first nine months here at United Power I have had the tremendous opportunity to experience “the cooperative difference” as we serve our rapidly growing base of members.
What is the cooperative difference? It is the way we are all member-owners of this great organization. It is the way we interact in serving your communities and it is the way we recognize the importance of supporting the United Power “family.” Many different types of organizations provide power, but cooperatives do it in unique fashion.
Here are just a few of my experiences since coming to United Power:
In November we commissioned a generator in Gilpin County that will provide the school system and emergency responders a reliable source of power should there be an extended outage. The school is at the end of a radial line in the rugged and beautiful community we serve in the mountains. This automated generator will kick in should power be curtailed in a storm or other challenging event. More importantly, this will offer the members of the community a place of refuge in times of crisis. Working with the Gilpin County School District and the Office of Emergency Management, United Power engineers and linemen made sure the system was up and running for this winter.
In support of the Metro North Lead Program, I had the chance to meet with the up-and-coming leaders from around our service territory and engage in a discussion about the history – and coming changes – in the electric industry. I had a similar opportunity to speak with the Weld County Board of County Commissioners. We had a lively engagement on the future of electric generation and transmission, as well as the impact of the growing natural gas and oil businesses.
Our crews are out every day making sure the system is strong and resilient. They are there, rain, snow or shine, understanding the critical nature of electricity. And, behind every one of them are the dispatchers, financial analysts, member service representatives, engineers and other employees working hard to keep rates low and reliability high. As we all know, these jobs are even more difficult as we continue to manage in a COVID workplace.
A number of members have reached out to me on a variety of topics, from electric vehicles to renewables and coal, with ideas for the system. I respond to each personally as working at United Power is more than just my vocation but is my avocation as well. I encourage you to contact me with questions, concerns and opinions at www.unitedpower.com/CEO.
The next few years will bring remarkable changes to the energy industry across the country. The cooperative difference means we have a special lens, asking not only what we can do to improve our system but how can we improve the lives of our members. The flexibility of the cooperative model means your input is solicited and valued. Your Board of Directors is a direct pipeline to our organization, and they represent you with passion.
During the next several months we will be having conversations across the communities we serve focused on our 10-Year Working Plan that lays out a vision and priorities for the coming decade. We want to ensure there is an aligned vision for the future as we take advantage of the technologies, societal changes and improved environmental footprint at United Power. We must welcome the changes our members require with open arms as electric vehicles, solar panels, battery storage and yet-to-be-determined technologies expand across our footprint. As a cooperative we are anxious to help our communities thrive and are driven to ensure an even brighter future.
Whether it is providing technical information, working with developers who are expanding housing and business opportunities to our local economy or partnering to bring efficiencies to industry, the cooperative difference is in our DNA. It is why we exist, what we strive for every day and how we live our values.
Decking the Halls Safely
Thursday | November 14, 2019
The holiday season is quickly approaching, and with it the time to put up festive lights, both indoors and outdoors, to enjoy along with the holiday season.
Read more >
Demand & Summer Heat
Monday | June 1, 2020
With more people expected to work from home this summer, temperatures might not be the only thing rising.
Read more >
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Democracy at the Cooperative
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Friday | February 14, 2025
Card Teaser
United Power members’ votes in the Director Election determine who represents them on the co-op's Board.
United Power members are uniquely given the opportunity to have a voice in the future of their electric utility. Each year, our members’ votes in the Director Election determine who will represent them on the co-op’s Board of Directors. As an electric cooperative, your participation in the annual election is critical to helping the co-op better serve its members.
Every Vote Matters Equally
United Power is a not-for-profit cooperative owned and controlled by the members it serves. When you become a member, you automatically receive the benefits all other members share, including the right to vote for board representation. As a member, your vote is equal to any other member’s vote, regardless of the kind of account they have or how large it is. “One member, one vote” is part of the cooperative principle known as Democratic Member Control. Director candidates must also live or work within United Power’s service territory, so you know you will be voting for someone who understands your community’s needs. They could even be your friends or neighbors.
Running for a Board Position
The primary difference between an investor-owned utility (IOU) and a cooperative is democratic control. IOUs make decisions to appease stakeholders and shareholders who might not live in the same state, let alone the same community. Any United Power member who meets the qualifications outlined in the bylaws is eligible to run for a position on the cooperative’s eleven-member Board of Directors. Directors serve four-year terms in one of four geographical districts. Members vote on an “at-large” basis, explained in more detail next.
Voting in the Election
Balloting opens March 14. United Power encourages all members to cast their votes in this year’s election. Members may vote electronically through their online account, or via mail ballots, sent to all members in mid-March. Directors represent all members and are therefore elected on an “at-large” basis. This means members may cast a vote for a director in each district and not just their own. Directors serve in geographic districts to ensure adequate accessibility for members and to provide a representative cross-section of United Power’s member base in the cooperative’s governing body.
Your vote always matters. To learn more about a director candidate, consider attending our Meet the Candidates event. Candidates will be announced in February, and candidate statements will be printed in the March newsletter and available online.
2025 Director Election
This year, three positions on the United Power Board are up for election at the 2025 Annual Meeting & Director Election, scheduled for April 16. Members may submit their votes electronically, via mail ballot, or in person at the Annual Meeting.
More information about how members may vote in this year’s Director Election can be found here.
Title
Democracy at the Cooperative
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Tuesday | February 11, 2020
Card Teaser
Each year our members’ votes in the director election determine who will represent them on the co-op’s board.
Prior to this year’s national elections in November, United Power members have the opportunity to have a say in the future of their electric cooperative. Each year our members’ votes in the director election determine who will represent them on the co-op’s board.
United Power invites participation from its members. Members have a finger on the pulse of their communities and understand what’s important to them. As an electric utility, your knowledge is critical to helping the co-op better serve its members.
Every Vote Matters Equally
United Power is a not-for-profit cooperative owned and controlled by the members it serves. When you become a member, you automatically receive the benefits all other members share, including the right to vote for board representation. Your vote always matters. As a member, your vote carries equal weight as any other member’s vote, regardless of what kind of account they have or how large it is. This is a cooperative principle known as “one member, one vote.” Director candidates must also live within United Power’s service territory, so you know you’ll be voting for someone who understands your community’s needs. They could even be your friends or neighbors.
Running for a Board Position
The primary difference between an investor-owned utility (IOU) and cooperative is democratic control. IOUs make decisions to appease stakeholders and shareholders who might not live in the same state, let alone the same community. Any United Power member in good standing is eligible to run for a position on the cooperative’s eleven-member board of directors. Directors serve three-year terms in one of four geographical districts. Although directors must live in one of these districts, members vote on an “at-large” basis, explained in more detail next.
Voting in the Election
The cooperative mails director ballots in March and encourages all members to cast votes in the election. Although directors live in a specific geographic district, they represent all members and are therefore elected on an “at-large” basis. This means members may cast a vote for a director in each district and not just their own. Directors serve in geographic districts to ensure adequate accessibility for members and to provide a representative cross-section of United Power’s member base in their leadership role. Learn more about voting policy here. Your vote always matters. To learn more about a director candidate, consider attending one of our Meet the Candidate events. Director statements are published online after February 14.
2020 Director Election
This year, four positions on United Power’s board are up for election at the 2020 Annual Meeting & Director Election, scheduled for Wednesday, April 15, 2020. Members may submit their ballot via mail, at drop boxes located at any United Power office location or in-person at the Annual Meeting. More information about how to submit your ballot may be found on the Annual Meeting page.
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Director Candidate Statements
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Friday | March 20, 2020
Card Teaser
There are four director seats up for election at the 2020 Annual Meeting. Director positions in the South, East, West and Mountain districts are up for three-year terms.
Annual MeetingCandidate Statements
There are four director seats up for election at the 2020 Annual Meeting. Director positions in the South, East, West and Mountain districts are up for three-year terms. Be sure to read about each of the candidates before casting your ballot. United Power directors serve in geographic districts, but they are elected on an “at-large” basis. Please vote for one candidate in EACH director district.
SOUTH DISTRICT
Greg Campbell
Greg grew up in California with his father working in the energy industry. Greg always knew he wanted to be an engineer, and he followed that dream and attended the Colorado School of Mines, graduating in 2005. Growing up on project job sites, he knew the best experience to learn the energy industry would be in the field. In addition to working throughout the U.S., he has worked around the world, with jobsites in eight different countries.
After doing this for about ten years, Greg was able to witness the surge within the U.S. in oil and gas, and he knew it was time to be part of this exciting growth away from energy dependence from foreign countries. He moved back to Colorado where he enjoyed his education, met his wife, and he now has a four-year-old son which has given him a newfound outlook for the importance of health and safety within the energy community.
Greg joined Summit Engineering in April of 2016 and is the Senior Vice President. Greg’s understanding of the energy industry and business helped him succeed in growing SESI from 23 people in 2016 ($4M in revenue) to over 140 people in 2020 ($20M+ in revenue). Greg has presented to the COGCC, in addition to his local Commerce City Chamber of Commerce regarding the industry and the drive to provide clean, safe and affordable energy to all of Colorado.
Greg’s focus around engineering regarding the health of our communities, safety of all engineering and design processed within SESI, in addition to the environmental economics surrounding this industry, has helped his company spearhead the industry through the political storm currently being experienced in Colorado. Greg understands that the changing political spectrum will result in new laws that will have an impact on the energy market, and the price of utilities to the consumer. Without a plan in place to balance where we get our electricity from (e.g. natural gas, coal, renewables, hydroelectric), we will create an upset condition in the market where the end user is the one that suffers.
The main goal of running for this position is to bring a point of view to United Power from someone who is “boots on the ground” in the industry. Colorado electricity is primarily created from coal and natural gas, and the electricity created by renewable sources has more than doubled since 2010. Politicians, both locally and nationally, continue to push an agenda to move away from fossil fuels. If elected, Greg will drive a balanced, long term approach to utilize the cleanest and cheapest form of electricity that utilizes the existing infrastructure, thus ensuring the least amount of impact to each member of United Power.
Stan Martin
United Power Board needs NEW LIFE and new blood.
As Adams County Clerk and Recorder I rolled up my sleeves implementing new innovation and technology saving you the taxpayer over $2 Million during my four year term.
As President Elect of the Colorado County Clerks Association having the opportunity to guide a statewide organization I learned what true leadership accomplishes.
As a 20 year local small business owner I learned what it takes to operate and oversee a successful business.
As a local native I learned that investing in our community pays dividends down the road.
As President of a Metro District I learned the importance of customer service.
As 17th Judicial District Board Commissioner I learned the value of being a public servant.
As a follower of Christ, I learned our purpose and identity in this life.
As your next United Power Director, I’ll work on your behalf to bring much needed “Term Limits” creating future opportunity for fresh new ideas ultimately driving innovation and technology better serving your electrical needs for generations.
As a customer just like you, what would it look like to bring NEW LIFE to United Power?
Please vote for Stan Martin this April.
Phil Noble
United Power is a co-op to be very proud of. It is always working to increase member value, improve rural and urban service, safeguard the environment and drive toward renewable energy sources. The future, however, has challenges that will require more innovation and leadership. I would like to become an important collaborating team member who contributes experience and knowledge to augment the Board of Directors’ strategic decision-making. As a board member of United Power, I would like to utilize my system-thinking expertise to accomplish strategies to meet the demand for using even fewer hydrocarbons and more energy alternatives. Having started my career in a small town in Illinois working summers and winters during college with the local municipally-owned electrical power facility, I have come full circle to this moment.
After graduating from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL I earned a master’s degree at the University of Texas in Arlington. In Texas, I worked in research and organizational development roles with public and private institutions, including the University of Texas Medical Branch, Monsanto and Exxon.
In 1993 I moved to Colorado for an opportunity at StorageTek as a Senior Organizational Development consultant, in which I focused primarily on business and quality processes as well as executive coaching, strategic planning and customer intelligence gathering.
Seven years later, I became an independent consultant and worked with, to name a few, the US Forest Service, Department of Defense, Exxon, Hewlett Packard, Lucent Technologies and startups in Silicon Valley. In 2005 I became Director of Organizational Development for a Baldridge Award-winning hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, and later continued in healthcare as Director of Workforce Development at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center in Wyoming.
In 2009 I joined the Adams County Workforce and Business Center, and two years later became the Director/Administrator. In that capacity, I was involved in board leadership in several organizations:
Executive Director, Adams County Workforce Development Board
Board Member, Adams County Education Consortium
Board Member, Adams County Economic Development
Board Member, Brighton Economic Development
Chair, Colorado Urban Workforce Alliance
Upon retirement, I planned to participate in outdoor activities, write and enjoy time with my wife and with my two adult children who also live in Commerce City, and I also knew I wanted to make a contribution where community, accountability and planning for the next generations’ future are priorities. That is United Power. I respectfully invite your consideration of my many years of community involvement, board experience, applied systems thinking, organizational skills, and deep understanding of workforce realities to represent your co-op member interests on the Board of Directors of United Power. Thank you for your support.
Dave E. Rose
United Power has had much success in the past few years and it has been a privilege to serve you as your United Power Director during these successful years. There are still many challenges facing United Power in our efforts to reduce rates and provide clean, reliable power to your homes, farms and businesses and I would like to continue to represent you. Based on my director certifications I have earned in the past few years I continue to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to make valuable decisions for all members. I am Dave Rose asking for your vote and support to re-elect me so I can continue to work for you.
I have been active in community events, meetings, and new developments that UP has initiated to better serve all the members in the UP territories. During this time UP has welcomed 2400 new members in Frederick, opened the Carbon Valley Service Center, implemented the Fire Mitigation Policy, exceeded $500 million in assets for the first time and reached 843 consecutive days without loss of time injuries. Also, during this time frame UP built the largest storage battery system in the state and quickly restored power outages during the bomb cyclone winter storm.
These are just a few of the major accomplishments and I know the importance of providing, affordable, reliable, safe, environmentally friendly electrical service to all the residential, agricultural and business members. I will continue to work hard for you as we negotiate with Tri-State to reduce energy rates and provide more flexibility in member choice. In my continued efforts to serve you I look forward visiting all the communities in the UP territories to meet and listen to UP members’ energy needs.
Experiences and Qualifications
United Power Board of Directors, 2014 – current
Almost Home Board of Directors, 2012 – current
Colorado Air and Space Port Advisory Board, 2013 -2020
Brighton Urban Renewal Authority, 2002 – 2019
Former Brighton Mayor and City Councilman (6 years)
Former RTD Board of Directors (8 years)
Kiwanis Club of Brighton, 1990 – current
Registered Psychotherapist (part-time), 2015 – 2020
Former Brighton Elementary School Principal, 32 years (National Distinguished Principal)
Formal education: B.S and M.S. degrees (Northeast Missouri State College) and Ed.S. U of Iowa
Family Man: Wife, Wilma, Son Ryan Daughter-in-Law, Connie, Grandson Hayden and Cooper, Daughters, Samantha, Megan and Son-in-Law Andrew Garnett and Granddaughter Blair.
EAST DISTRICT
James Vigesaa
Greetings United Power Members
Looking back on the past nine years I have served as your East District Director; it is amazing how the cooperative has grown and evolved during this time.
In 2011 when I became a Board Member our Annual Load was approximately 2,796 megawatts. By 2019 our Load has grown to approximately 4,951 megawatts—a 77 percent increase. The United Power “Can Do” team of great employees has not only seamlessly managed this growth but has actually increased our reliability of keeping the lights on! For a reliability snapshot comparison, In January of this year 2020 we had 48% less meters affected by outages than our historical five year average—and this was done while we added 20,000 meters to the system.
Nationally, thoughts on how power is generated has evolved with on coal fired generation being highly discouraged and renewable generation encouraged in its place. Locally, We have addressed this by providing Cost Effective green/alternative energy for our members through our industrial scale solar fields and other renewables. We have also worked with members who desire their own rooftop solar to the extent that approximately 3% of our residential members utilize rooftop solar-putting us near the top of electrical distribution systems for the use of rooftop solar. In addition to renewable generation, We have pioneered the use of Battery Storage. Our 4 Megawatt Battery Storage uses power at night (When demand is low) to charge the batteries, and then release that power back onto the grid during daytime peak demand. Using this battery storage allows the power plants to be more efficient and reduces the need for new power plant construction. Not only is the use of this renewable generation and battery storage good for the environment, it also saves our members money by reducing the cost of power nearly $4,000,000 dollars a year.
Looking ahead to the future—the biggest challenge facing us is power supply. We are working with our power supplier, Tri-State Generation to reduce the cost of our power supply as well as increase the amount of renewable generation within the power supply. As your Board of Directors, we make business decisions based on what is best for our members. We all are very committed to cost effectiveness, and for 2019 we have returned $5.5 million in Capital Credits back to our members.
I thank you for the opportunity to continue to serve you on the Board Of Directors and look forward to the next 3 years focusing on power supply, continued cost effectiveness and retirement of Capital Credits. Please do not hesitate to contact me at jvigesaa@unitedpower.coop with any questions, comments or concerns that you may have.
WEST DISTRICT
Virginia "Ginny" A. Buczek
Virginia “Ginny’’ Buczek, is the incumbent director in the West District, and currently works part-time in design review. She has 13 years private sector managerial work experience and studied business management at Red Rocks Community College. Buczek earned her CCD, Board Leadership and Gold Leadership certifications from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). During her tenure she has served as the President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, and currently chairs The Audit Committee. Buczek is United Power’s director on the Colorado Rural Electric Association Board (CREA). She is Vice President of the CREA Board, serves on CREA’s Executive and Policy Committees. She has served as CREA’s Secretary, Treasure and Budget and Finance Chair. Buczek represents United Power on the TriState G&T Contract Committee.
Ginny’s elected and appointed experience includes: Weld County Council, Southwest Weld Technical Committee, Tri-area Ambulance Board of Directors. She has been active in her hometown, on the Firestone Planning Commission, Firestone Board of Trustees, and Park Commission, receiving the Colorado State Parks’, Conservation Hero Award, 2006. She served on United Power Round-Up Foundation before being elected as a United Power Director.
She has been active in many civic groups including 4-H, Girl Scouts, Neighborhood Watch, and Frederick High School Booster Club. Ginny is a member of the Colorado WestPoint Parents Club, has served on congressional and a senatorial Military Academy Appointment Boards and is a member of Weld County’s Bright Futures Advisory Board.
“The electric industry is rapidly changing; presenting new opportunities and challenges requiring experienced, knowledgeable leadership. It is the responsibility of Directors to contribute to decisions resulting in a focused plan to maximize and leverage opportunities, mitigate risk and maintain a quality workforce. Ensuring safe, reliable, cost efficient electrical power, financial stability, maintaining quality service for all United Power members, and positioning the Cooperative to provide the future needs of our communities are fundamental Board duties.
I have been a committed member of the United Power community for twenty-nine years and remain focused on the families and businesses of our community. I thank you, for the investment you have made in me as one of your United Power Directors. That investment has provided hundreds of hours of Electric Cooperative education. Using my electric director education, coop experience and the input you have provided, I will continue to work for the best interest of the members. Thank you, for your continued support and interest in Your Coop. I would be honored to serve you, the members, for another term.”
James P. Menghi
Jim Menghi has been a United Power member for 9 years. Jim is retired from a career in accounting and auditing. Jim worked at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) as the Deputy Director of the Joint Office for Science Support (JOSS) since 2002 and Internal Auditor/Compliance Officer from 1985 to 2002. Jim retired in 2016. Previously, he was an Auditor with the US General Accounting Office (GAO) for nine years. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from the University of Delaware and held several related professional certifications during his career. In addition, Jim has served on the Elevations Credit Union Board of Directors since 2008. During his directorship of this financial cooperative, Elevations increased membership to 139,000 and assets under management to $2.2 Billion. Under Jim’s directorship, Elevations was awarded many quality awards. The most noteworthy award is the Malcolm Baldridge Presidential Quality Award awarded in 2015. As with any company’s efforts to improve the quality of products and services, the Malcolm Baldridge framework changed the corporate culture to focus on quality. The general sentiment among the staff is “it is more about the journey than the award.”
Raising two daughters has been his pride and joy, but when possible he walks, bikes and hikes, taking advantage of the great Colorado outdoor lifestyle.
As a successful candidate for United Power Board of Directors, Jim will apply his governance and fiduciary experience to act with integrity while representing and supporting United Power’s and our members’ best interests.
MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
Tamra K. Waltemath
I, Tamra (Tami) Waltemath am currently the director for the Mountain District. In my three years as a director, I have worked hard to educate myself about the electric industry, taking classes to obtain a Credentialed Cooperative Director designation and a Board Leadership certificate from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). United Power is a leader in the move toward battery storage, community solar, renewable energy, micro-grids and fire mitigation in our mountains. New technologies are challenging the electric industry to be cleaner, cheaper and more dependable and I would like to continue to be involved in the efforts to make United Power the best cooperative in Colorado.
I have a good background to be your director. I am an attorney with my own practice in Westminster, Colorado. As an attorney I have experience in operating a business, I understand contracts and contractual relationships as well as employee issues and I understand the fiduciary duties required of a director. I am comfortable with making daily decisions as well as planning for long range goals. Participating on a board requires engaging in a group collaborative process, a skill I have found necessary to be a good attorney.
I currently serve on the board of directors for the Coal Creek Community Improvement Association and I believe in giving back to my community. United Power as a cooperative, follows cooperative principles which include supporting the communities it serves. I will continue to be a director who encourages the efforts of United Power to actively engage its members to be informed about what is taking place in their communities. United Power helps bring communities together by helping them to hold events like parades, community dinners and children’s events. I feel proud to be a director of a corporation that supports its communities and provides value to our members.
As a United Power member, I am a consumer, like you. As a United Power director, I promise to work with the entire United Power community to achieve a clean energy future. I will listen to the concerns and needs of all our members, because it is the members I serve as a director and I would be honored to serve you for another term.
